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☆ Grain ship lightly damaged off Ukraine, likely hit sea mine - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 17 (Reuters) - A merchant ship transporting grains was lightly damaged off the coast of Ukraine and was likely to have been hit by a floating sea mine, according to maritime specialists and a Ukrainian government source. This is the latest incident affecting commercial ships sailing in the Black Sea. War risk insurance premiums have risen to as much as 3% of the value of a vessel after a missile damaged a merchant ship in the Ukrainian port of Pivdennyi last week, industry sources said. A Ukrainian government source told Reuters on Friday that it was likely that a floating sea mine hit the vessel. After withdrawing from a U.N.-backed deal in July that guaranteed safe shipments of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea, Ukraine says Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukrainian port infrastructure and also laid sea mines.

Persons: Marsh, Jonathan Saul, Gus Trompiz, William Maclean Organizations: Seagate, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Ukrainian, Pivdennyi, Liberia, Georgia, Greece, Constanta, Sea, Russia, Kyiv, London, Paris

☆ Russia may have struck a civilian cargo ship by accident because it screwed up hitting military targets, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia hit a civilian ship with a missile on Wednesday, killing and injuring crew, Ukraine said. The attack may have been due to "poor weapons employment tactics" by a Russian pilot, per UK intelligence. AdvertisementAdvertisementRussia may have struck a civilian ship in a Ukrainian port with a missile because of "poor weapons employment tactics," according to UK intelligence. AdvertisementAdvertisementOleksandr Kubrakov, Ukraine's Minister for Communities and Territories Development and Infrastructure, said the ship was a civilian vessel carrying iron ore to China. Kubrakov described Wednesday's attack as the 21st targeted attack by Russia on port infrastructure in Odesa since it left the grain deal.

Persons: —, Oleksandr Kubrakov, Kubrakov Organizations: MOD, Service, UK Ministry of Defence, Ukraine's, Territories Development, Infrastructure Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Liberia, Ukraine's Pivdennyi, China, Philippines, Odesa

☆ Ukraine says Russian missile hits civilian vessel in Black Sea, kills one
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 8 (Reuters) - A Russian missile damaged a Liberia-flagged civilian vessel entering a Black Sea port in Odesa region, killing one and injuring four people, Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday. After pulling out of the U.N.-brokered deal that guaranteed safe shipments of Ukrainian grain via the Black Sea, Russia has been repeatedly attacking Ukrainian port infrastructure. It added that one person was killed, three crew members, citizens of the Philippines, and one port employee were injured. The vessel was supposed to transport iron ore to China, Ukraine Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said. Kubrakov added that Russia carried out 21 targeted attacks on port infrastructure after withdrawing from the deal.

Persons: Oleksandr Kubrakov, Kubrakov, Yoruk Isik, Yuliia Dysa, Jonathan Saul, Andrew Cawthorne, Alistair Bell, Ron Popeski Organizations: Facebook, Bosphorus Observer, Reuters, United, Kyiv, Thomson Locations: Russian, Liberia, Odesa, Russia, Philippines, China, Ukraine, Ukrainian, United Nations, Turkey

☆ Five new cargo vessels heading for Ukrainian Black Sea ports -MarineTraffic
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Liberia-flagged bulk carriers Eneida and Ying Hao 01 are seen in the sea as they leave the sea ports of Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near Odesa, Ukraine October 1, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer Acquire Licensing RightsKYIV, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Five new ships are on their way to Ukrainian sea ports using a new corridor opened to resume predominantly agricultural exports, an alternative arrangement to the Black Sea grain deal blocked by Russia, the MarineTraffic database showed on Sunday. The MarineTraffic database showed earlier on Sunday that three cargo vessels left Ukrainian Black Sea ports after loading, the latest to sail since Kyiv set up a temporary "humanitarian corridor" after Russia quit a deal allowing safe passage for Ukraine exports. The database identified the five vessels heading towards the ports as Olga, Ida, Forza Doria, New Legacy and Danny Boy. Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said last month that three cargo ships were heading towards Ukrainian Black Sea ports for further food and steel exports.

Persons: Ying Hao, Stringer, Olga, Ida, Forza, Danny Boy, Oleksandr Kubrakov, Moscow, Pavel Polityuk, Michael Perry, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Russia, United, Thomson Locations: Liberia, Chornomorsk, Ukraine, Odesa, Russia, Ukrainian, Forza Doria, China, Egypt, Spain, Moscow, Kyiv, United Nations, Turkey

☆ Five more cargo ships head for Ukraine's Black Sea ports -deputy PM
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Liberia-flagged bulk carriers Eneida and Ying Hao 01 are seen in the sea as they leave the sea ports of Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, near Odesa, Ukraine October 1, 2023. REUTERS/Stringer Acquire Licensing RightsKYIV, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Five more ships are on their way to Ukrainian sea ports using a new corridor opened to resume predominantly agricultural exports, an alternative arrangement to the Black Sea grain deal blocked by Russia, a top Ukrainian official said on Sunday. "5 new vessels are waiting to be loaded in Ukrainian ports," Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said on the X social media platform. "Bulk carriers OLGA, IDA, DANNY BOY, FORZA DORIA, NEW LEGACY are going to export almost 120,000 (metric) tons of Ukrainian grain to Africa and Europe," he added. The three cargo vessels are the latest to sail since Kyiv set up a temporary "humanitarian corridor" after Russia quit a deal allowing safe passage for Ukraine's exports.

Persons: Ying Hao, Stringer, Oleksandr Kubrakov, DANNY BOY, FORZA, Kubrakov, Moscow, Pavel Polityuk, Michael Perry, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, FORZA DORIA, Ukrainian Navy, Russia, United, Thomson Locations: Liberia, Chornomorsk, Ukraine, Odesa, Russia, Africa, Europe, Moscow, Kyiv, United Nations, Turkey

☆ Container ship leaves Russian-blocked Ukrainian port of Odesa - Kyiv
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] Hong Kong-flagged container ship Joseph Schulte leaves the sea port, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine, in this handout picture released August 16, 2023. "A first vessel used the temporary corridor for merchant ships to/from the ports of Big Odesa," Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said on Facebook. He identified the container ship as the Hong-Kong-flagged JOSEPH SCHULTE and said it had been in the port since Feb. 23, 2022, the day before the invasion. He said the ship was carrying more than 30,000 metric tons of cargo in 2,114 containers. "The corridor will be primarily used to evacuate ships that were in the Ukrainian ports (Chornomorsk, Odesa and Pivdennyi) at the time of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation," the deputy prime minister said.

Persons: Joseph Schulte, Oleksandr Kubrakov, JOSEPH SCHULTE, Pavel Polityuk, Jacqueline Wong, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Facebook, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Russian Federation, Thomson Locations: Hong Kong, Ukraine, Odesa, Ukrainian, Russia, Moscow, Big, Hong, Kong

☆ Ukraine reports new attack on grain silos but cargo ship sets sail
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Pavel Polityuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

[1/2] Hong Kong-flagged container ship Joseph Schulte leaves the sea port, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine, in this handout picture released August 16, 2023. Russia has made regular air strikes on Ukrainian ports and grain silos since mid-July, when it pulled out of the U.N.-backed deal for Ukraine to export grain. Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM), which owns the ship jointly with a Chinese bank, confirmed that the ship was en route to Istanbul. Kubrakov said it was carrying more than 30,000 metric tons of cargo in 2,114 containers, adding that the corridor would primarily be used to evacuate ships from the Black Sea ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa and Pivdennyi. DANUBE PORTSUkraine turned to its Danube river ports after Russia pulled out of the Black Sea grain deal seeking better terms for exports of its own food and fertilizer.

Persons: Joseph Schulte, Oleksandr Kubrakov, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, Kubrakov, Urozhaine, Hanna Maliar, Izmail, Lidia Kelly, Gus Trompiz, Matthias Inverardi, Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Philippa Fletcher, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Facebook, REUTERS Acquire, Benchmark, United Nations, Reuters, United Nations Conference, Trade, Development, Thomson Locations: Hong Kong, Ukraine, Odesa, Russia, KYIV, Russian, Hong, Kong, Reni, Moscow, Big, Istanbul, Chornomorsk, Pivdennyi, Ukrainian, Urozhaine, Azov, Constanta, Romania, Black, Turkey, Nairobi

☆ Global food insecurity caused by Russia-Ukraine war tops agenda as U.S. assumes UN Security Council presidency
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield speaks during a joint press conference before a UN Security Council meeting at the United Nations headquarters on June 23, 2023 in New York City. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield slammed Moscow's exit from the deal last month, calling it "another blow to the world's most vulnerable." The bottom line is this: The world needs the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Russia warned that if the Black Sea Grain Initiative did not incorporate fertilizer products into the exports, Moscow would not renew the agreement. Following Moscow's departure from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, Russian forces rained missiles on Ukrainian ports and agricultural facilities, sending wheat prices on a three-day spike.

Persons: Linda Thomas, Greenfield, New York City . WASHINGTON —, United Nations Linda Thomas, Thomas, That's, Sergey Lavrov, —, Antony Blinken Organizations: Representative, United Nations, UN Security, United Nations Security Council, Security, Food, Initiative, Russian, U.S, Thomas Locations: New York City . WASHINGTON, United States, Ukraine, Russia, Ukraine's, Odesa, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Moscow

☆ A landmark agricultural deal that guarantees food security for tens of millions is set to expire on Monday as Russia debates its renewal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Black Sea deal has allowed Ukraine to ship more than 30 million tons of produce from three major ports, helping to bring down global food prices down after they spiked following Russia's invasion. Last week, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sent a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin outlining proposals to salvage the deal. REUTERS/Nacho Doce Nacho Doce | ReutersBefore Russian troops poured over Ukraine's borders in late February 2022, Kyiv and Moscow accounted for almost a quarter of global grain exports. Those agricultural shipments came to a halt for nearly six months until representatives from Ukraine, Russia, the U.N. and Turkey agreed to establish a humanitarian sea corridor under the Black Sea Grain Initiative. One of Moscow's top demands though is for the Russian Agricultural Bank, or Rosselkhozbank, to return to the SWIFT banking system.

Persons: Akos Stiller, Antonio Guterres, Vladimir Putin, U.N, Stephane Dujarric, Putin, Sergei Lavrov, Sean Gallup, Sergey Lavrov, Lavrov, That's, SWIFT Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty Images WASHINGTON, Kremlin, REUTERS, Reuters, Russian, Food, Sea Initiative, Russian Agricultural Bank, Society, Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication Locations: Bicske, Hungary, Ukraine, Russia, Moscow, Ukrainian, UN, Turkey, Odesa, Kyiv, Ukraine's, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Yuzhny, Moscow's

☆ UN aid chief to Russia: Don't 'chuck away' Black Sea grain deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"The world has seen the value of the Black Sea Initiative ... this isn't something you chuck away," the U.N.'s Martin Griffiths told reporters. Zelenskiy said the Black Sea deal was important to help the world fight hunger. Russia has described the Black Sea deal and the agreement to facilitate its own exports as a single package. The Black Sea deal allows for ammonia exports - a key ingredient in nitrate fertilizer - but none has shipped. As the expiration date looms, the Black Sea grain deal is grinding to a halt.

Persons: Martin Griffiths, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Tayyip Erdogan, Erdogan, Zelenskiy, Griffiths, Michelle Nichols, Elaine Monaghan, Oleksandr Kozhukhar, Doina Chiacu, Grant McCool Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, U.N, United Nations, Black Sea Initiative, United, Zelenskiy, Russian Federation, Russian Agricultural Bank, International Energy Agency, Sezer, Thomson Locations: Russia, Moscow, Odesa, United Nations, Turkey, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Istanbul, Russian, United, United States, European Union, Britain, Togliatti, Washington, Kyiv

☆ UN chief calls for acceleration of Black Sea grain deal exports
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Russia's President Vladimir Putin said last week that Russia was considering withdrawing from the Black Sea grain deal. The Black Sea deal also allows for ammonia shipments, but none have happened. Restarting the pipeline was one of several Russian demands made in talks to extend the Black Sea grain deal. Last month it began stopping vessels traveling to Pivdennyi port under the Black Sea grain deal until the ammonia pipeline was restarted. Haq said the United Nations was "fully committed" to supporting the implementation of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the pact to facilitate Russia food and fertilizer exports.

Persons: Antonio Guterres, U.N, Farhan Haq, Guterres, Haq, Vladimir Putin, Michelle Nichols, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, United Nations, United, Initiative, Black, TASS, Russian Federation, Thomson Locations: Russia, United Nations, Turkey, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Moscow, United

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with African leaders on June 17 in Russia. The Black Sea grain deal: Putin also claimed "the crisis on the global food market is not a consequence of conflict in Ukraine." “Ukrainian grain supply to the world’s markets doesn’t solve the problem of world hunger,” he said. “Countries in need should not suffer, so Moscow went to great lengths to ensure the supply of Ukrainian grain to African countries,” Putin said. Ramaphosa also pushed for "opening up of the movement of the grains across the Black Sea so whatever blockages there are should be released."

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky, ”, ” Putin, Cyril Ramaphosa, Ramaphosa, Maria Lvova Organizations: United Nations, “, Initiative, African Locations: Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, St . Petersburg, ”, Turkey, Africa, Russian

☆ Explainer: What is Russia's problem with the Black Sea grain deal?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Putin said he would discuss the future of the grain deal with visiting African leaders on Saturday. THE PACKAGE DEALThe United Nations and Turkey brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative last July to help tackle a global food crisis worsened by Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and blockade of its Black Sea ports. Under the Black Sea grain deal, more than 625,000 tonnes of grain has so far been shipped by the WFP for aid operations in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Yemen. Until the ammonia pipeline is restarted, Moscow has said it will limit the number of vessels allowed to travel to Pivdennyi port under the Black Sea grain deal. RUSSIAN GRAIN, FERTILIZER EXPORTSWhile exports of Russian wheat and some fertilisers have risen since the war, exports of Russian ammonia and potassium-based fertilizers have plummeted.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Putin, Stephane Dujarric, Linda Thomas, Greenfield, JPM.N, Daniel Wallis Organizations: United, United Nations, Food Programme, The United Nations, Democratic, Agricultural Bank, European Union, EU, JPMorgan Chase, reassurances, U.S ., African Export, Import Bank, Reuters, U.S . Department of Agriculture, Thomson Locations: Russia, Moscow, United Nations, Turkey, Ukraine, Africa, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Kenya, United States, America, SWIFT, Russia's Togliatti, Ukraine's, Ukrainian, Ukraine's Kharkiv, East

☆ Russia and Ukraine say ammonia pipeline was damaged, in potential blow to grain deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

They have been provided with necessary medical assistance," the Russian ministry said in a statement. "At present ammonia residues are being blown out of the damaged sections of the pipeline from Ukrainian territory. REPAIRSResumption of supplies via the Tolyatti-Odesa pipeline, the world's longest ammonia pipeline, may be key to the renewal of the Black Sea grain export deal. Russia has repeatedly cast doubt on whether it will continue to renew the grain deal, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, which facilitates agricultural exports from Ukraine via the Black Sea. "The ammonia pipeline was one of the linchpins of the implementation of the agreements made in Istanbul on July 22, The (pipeline) was key to global food security," Zakharova said.

Persons: Stephane Dujarric, Dujarric, We're, Maria Zakharova, Zakharova, Felix Light, Andrew Osborn, Jon Boyle, Jason Neely, Gareth Jones, Alex Richardson, Diane Craft Organizations: Kyiv, Reuters, United, Togliatti, United Nations, Russian Foreign Ministry, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Ukrainian, Masyutivka, Kharkiv, Russian, Ukraine's Kharkiv, United Nations, Turkey, Odesa, Istanbul

☆ Russia says it sees 'no prospects' for further grain deal renewal
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 5 (Reuters) - Russia's foreign ministry said on Monday that it saw no prospects for extending the Black Sea grain export deal, which is set to expire in mid-July, Russian news agencies reported. TASS news agency quoted the ministry as saying that it was continuing consultations with the United Nations, and that ship inspections had resumed. To help convince Russia to back the deal, a three-year pact was also struck last July in which the U.N. agreed to help Moscow carry out its food and fertiliser shipments. Russia has repeatedly threatened to quit the deal, complaining that obstacles still remain to its own exports of food and fertiliser. The agreement last came up for renewal on May 18 and Russia agreed at that point to extend it for 60 more days, to July 17.

Persons: Mark Trevelyan, Kevin Liffey Organizations: TASS, United Nations, RIA, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russia, Geneva, Turkey, Ukraine, Moscow, Ukrainian, Pivdennyi

☆ Ukraine has 'plan B' to continue exports if grain deal collapses - minister
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Pavel Polityuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Summary Future of Black Sea grain deal looks uncertainUkraine's farm minister floats "Plan B"Exports could continue without Russia, he saysOfficial suggests government insurance guaranteesKYIV, June 2 (Reuters) - Ukraine would be ready to continue exporting grain across the Black Sea as part of a "plan B" without Russian backing if Moscow pulls the plug on the current grain export deal and it collapses, Ukraine's farm minister said on Friday. The United Nations and Turkey brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative between Moscow and Kyiv last July to help tackle a global food crisis aggravated by Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, a leading global grain exporter. He said in an interview in Kyiv: "That's not how it works and then we will be ready for a plan B, which depends on us, depends on the U.N. "Plan B... excludes the fourth party (Russia) in this relationship," he said. He said Ukraine still hoped the current Black Sea grain initiative would work despite the current difficulties while any new option would need a new agreement or format.

Persons: Russia's, Mykola Solsky, Solsky, Pavel Polityuk, Tom Balmforth, Hugh Lawson Organizations: United, Reuters, Ukrainian, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, United Nations, Turkey, Pivdennyi, Kyiv, Ukrainian

☆ Exclusive: UN tries to save Black Sea grain deal with 'mutually beneficial' proposal
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Pavel Polityuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

As the preparatory work starts, the U.N. wants parallel talks to be held on widening the Black Sea deal that was agreed last July to include more Ukrainian ports and other cargoes, said the source, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity. Ukraine and Turkey have agreed to the new proposal, intended to improve operations in the Black Sea grain export corridor, but Russia has not yet responded, the source said. The U.N. and Turkey brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative between Moscow and Kyiv last July to help tackle a global food crisis aggravated by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a leading global grain exporter. Ukrainian officials have said that since mid-April, Russia has "unreasonably restricted" the work of the Black Sea grain deal. A senior government source told Reuters this month that Kyiv would consider allowing Russian ammonia to transit its territory for export on condition that the Black Sea grain deal is expanded to include more Ukrainian ports and a wider range of commodities.

Persons: Pavel Polityuk, Timothy Heritage, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Reuters, United Nations, Kyiv, Thomson Locations: Kyiv, Moscow, Ankara, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, Pivdennyi, Odesa

☆ UN concerned by lack of grain ships going to one Ukrainian port
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Black Sea grain deal - brokered by the U.N. and Turkey last July - allows for the safe export of ammonia and Russia has been pushing for the pipeline to be restarted. Russia agreed last week for the Black Sea pact to be extended for two months. The Black Sea grain deal ground to a halt last week as Russia decided whether to continue it. He noted that no fertilizers, including ammonia, had yet been exported under the Black Sea agreement. The Kremlin said on Monday that the EU's reluctance to reconnect Russia's state agricultural bank to SWIFT showed the bloc's "non-constructive stance" on the Black Sea grain deal.

☆ Exclusive: Ukraine would only allow Russian ammonia exports if it gets expanded grain deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Pavel Polityuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The comments are the first time Kyiv has publicly laid out its stance on Russian ammonia, which Moscow wants shipped via the Black Sea under the agreement. The Ukrainian government source, who asked not to be named, told Reuters the language of the deal does not cover the transit of Russian ammonia across Ukraine. Despite Russian threats to pull out of the deal, the Black Sea deal was extended for two months on Wednesday a day before it was due to expire. MORE PORTS, MORE GOODSOnly three of Ukraine's major Black Sea ports are included in the agreement. Officials have previously said the country, which used to export steel across the Black Sea, needs to export steel products.

☆ Black Sea grain deal: A crucial pact aimed at averting a global food crisis has been extended
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Sophie Tanno | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —A crucial deal aimed at averting a global food crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been extended for two months. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday an agreement has been reached with Russia and Ukraine to extend the Black Sea grain deal. Murat Kula/Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesWhat is the Black Sea grain deal and why is it important? The Black Sea grain deal was first reached in July 2022. The Black Sea grain deal was an agreement made between Russia and Ukraine – however, it was not a direct agreement.

Summary Russia to West: remove obstacles to agricultural exportsLavrov: West should take UN proposals seriouslyLavrov: Ukraine may have to use land/rivers for exportsLavrov: Russia may work around Black Sea grain dealMOSCOW, April 7 (Reuters) - Russia warned the West on Friday that unless obstacles to its exports of grain and fertilisers were removed, then Ukraine would have to export grain over land and Moscow would work outside the UN-brokered landmark grain export deal. The Black Sea grain deal is an attempt by the United Nations to ease a food crisis that predated the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but was made worse by the most deadly war in Europe since World War Two. The deal, first signed by Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and the UN in July last year and twice extended, allows for the export of food and fertiliser, including ammonia from Ukraine's Black Sea ports of Odesa, Chornomorsk, Yuzhny/Pivdennyi. If the West continued to refuse to remove the obstacles to Russian exports, Moscow would work around the grain deal, Lavrov said beside his Turkish counterpart at a news conference in Ankara. Since its signing, the 120-day grain deal has been extended twice, once in November and a second time in March, though Russia said the March extension was only for 60 days.

☆ Cargo ship from Ukraine grounded in Bosphorus strait, traffic halted
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] Turkish Navy's rescue ship TCG Isin sails in the Bosphorus as the Palau-flagged bulk carrier MKK1, carrying grain under UN’s Black Sea grain initiative, is seen drifted aground in Istanbul, Turkey January 16, 2023. REUTERS/Yoruk IsikISTANBUL, Jan 16 (Reuters) - The cargo ship MKK 1, travelling from Ukraine to Turkey, was grounded in Istanbul's Bosphorus Strait on Monday and traffic in the strait was suspended but no damage was reported, shipping agents Tribeca said. Several tugs were among vessels sent to provide assistance to the ship, the coastguard authority said. Television footage showed the bow of the ship, carrying 13,000 tonnes of peas, grounded close to the coastline on the Asian side of the Bosphorus. Tribeca said the Palau-flagged general cargo ship was grounded at Acarburnu at the northern end of the strait early on Monday as it headed southbound.

However the talks aim to remove remaining obstacles in the initiative extended last week and ease global food shortages by unblocking Ukrainian and Russian exports, they added. Putin said on Wednesday that Russian officials would work to unblock Russian fertilisers stuck in European ports and to resume ammonia exports. The export of Russian ammonia would be via an existing pipeline to the Black Sea. Neither Russia nor Ukraine have released official figures on how many prisoners of war they have taken since Russia invaded in February. On Oct. 29, Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskiy said that since March, Russia had freed a total of 1,031 prisoners.

☆ IAEA says no sign of 'dirty bomb' work at sites inspected in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

VIENNA, Nov 3 (Reuters) - The U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Thursday it had found no sign of undeclared nuclear activity at three sites in Ukraine that it inspected at Kyiv's request in response to Russian allegations that work was being done on a "dirty bomb". Some Ukrainian and Western officials have accused Moscow of making the allegation to give itself cover to detonate its own dirty bomb and pin the blame on Kyiv. The International Atomic Energy Agency said last month it would inspect two locations in Ukraine following a request by Kyiv. The IAEA named the locations as the Institute for Nuclear Research in Kyiv, Eastern Mining and Processing Plant in Zhovti Kody, and Production Association Pivdennyi Machine-Building Plant in Dnipro. Inspectors also took environmental samples that will be sent off for lab analysis and the IAEA will report back on the results, the statement added.

☆ Ukraine accuses Russia of blocking full implementation of grain deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Oct 23 (Reuters) - Ukraine said seven vessels sailed off from its ports on Sunday carrying grain bound for Asia and Europe, but accused Russia of blocking the full implementation of Black Sea grain deal. "Russia is deliberately blocking the full realisation of the Grain Initiative. The agreement, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in July, paved the way for Ukraine to resume grain exports from Black Sea ports that had been shut since Russia invaded. Ethiopia, Yemen and Afghanistan -- these three countries have already received foodstuffs thanks to our exports and the U.N.'s food programme." The deal eased a world food crisis, but as more shippers have joined, the handful of inspection teams has fallen behind.

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